ARMENIAN POWS IN AZERBAIJAN SEEK ASYLUM ABROAD

news.az
Dec 2 2009
Azerbaijan

All five Armenians in captivity in Azerbaijan have asked to leave
for third countries.

They say that they are using their captivity to claim asylum abroad,
the secretary of the State Commission for Prisoners of War, Missing
Persons and Hostages, Shahin Sailov, told journalists today.

He said international organizations are aware of it. "I think that
the number of people using this method will fall in future because
the process is very difficult. The process may stall completely and
not move on."

Sailov said that 18-20 people had returned from captivity on both
sides in the past year. Two Azerbaijanis are now in captivity in
Armenia and five Armenians in Azerbaijan.

"Problems have arisen in the return of Armenian citizens captured
by Azerbaijan and Azerbaijani citizens captured and taken hostage by
Armenia," Sailov said.

He said there had been reports over the past year that the captives on
both sides did not to want to return home. "Hard work for both sides
lies behind the refusal of citizens not to return home. It takes
a lot of work to arrange their departure for third countries. This
situation has been created by the captives refusing to return home."

Sailov said that the Azerbaijani side had not heard from Rafig
Hasanov, who is in captivity in Armenia, that he did not want to return
home. "We haven’t heard it from him. He is being held by Armenians. He
told the Armenians and sends letters via the International Committee of
the Red Cross. We can hear this from him directly when we see him. Of
course, he is under pressure in the hands of the enemy. Most probably
Rafig Hasanov is refusing to return home under pressure. It creates
difficulties for the international organizations, which are getting
the impression that the prisoners of war and hostages are trying to use
their situation to leave for a third country especially the Armenians."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress